Fab City Cape Town
Cape Town aerial view -- the city beginning its Fab City journey

Five experiments in progress

Starting with real places and real questions

Fab City Cape Town pledged in 2026. Now we are beginning to put the idea into practice.

Not finished solutions -- places to start, test, learn and share. Small, collaborative experiments connecting local challenges with design, making, repair, research and open technology.

Current / emerging work

ARC Observatory
In developmentFranschhoek, Western Cape

ARC Observatory

Regeneration + sensing

The ARC of Franschhoek is a living laboratory for questions about land, ecology and regeneration. We are beginning to observe this landscape carefully — through open environmental sensing, design research, and the materials it produces.

RegenerationEnvironmental sensingDesign researchOpen technology
WithARC of Franschhoek·Menzies Design Lab UCT·Seeed Studio·Fab City Foundation

Sensors not yet live

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make-a-thek Cape Town
Starting September 2026Cape Town + Western Cape

make-a-thek Cape Town

Making + repair + libraries

A pilot connecting public libraries with making and repair culture. Working with Global Innovation Gathering and Africa Makerspaces, we are exploring how existing community infrastructure becomes a site of circular practice — fixing, making, sharing skills.

MakingRepairCommunity learningCircular practice
WithGlobal Innovation Gathering·Africa Makerspaces·WC Public Libraries·Repair Cafe Cape Town·Fashion Revolution SA

Launching September 2026

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Local Materials
In developmentCape Town + Franschhoek

Local Materials

Circular textiles + local production

An early exploration into local materials, natural dyes and circular textile production. Starting with fynbos — the extraordinary plant diversity of the Western Cape — and asking what it would mean to produce clothing locally, repair it, and close the loop.

Circular textilesNatural dyesLocal productionMaterial research
WithFashion Revolution SA·ARC of Franschhoek·Menzies Design Lab UCT·WC Public Libraries

Early exploration

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Open Environmental Sensing
In developmentCape Town

Open Environmental Sensing

Observation + open technology

Cape Town does not yet have a network of open environmental sensors. Using open hardware from Seeed Studio and connecting to the global Smart Citizen network, we are asking what data would actually be useful for the communities that live here.

Environmental sensingOpen hardwareDataUrban observation
WithSeeed Studio·Menzies Design Lab UCT

Cape Town sensors not yet live

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In developmentCape Town

Student Research Programme

VAC projects, PhDs + supported research

From vacation work placements to postgraduate research — structured pathways for students to contribute to real experiments in local production, open technology and urban futures. Anchored at Menzies Design Lab UCT, connected to the global network.

Student researchVacation workPostgraduateOpen technology
WithSeeed Studio·Menzies Design Lab UCT·Fab City Foundation

Launching 2027

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How the work connects

How the work connects

A landscape question becomes a student brief. Data informs a prototype. A textile workshop becomes a local production experiment.

Fab City Cape Town connects what already exists — and creates new possibilities between it.

The network is the project

These are the first things it is beginning to do. Explore the full ecosystem of partners, scales and connections.

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